R. Martel et al., METALLACYCLOBUTANE AND CYCLOPROPYL SPECIES ON CU(111) AND CU(110), Journal of the American Chemical Society, 120(10), 1998, pp. 2421-2427
Low-energy electron bombardment of cyclopropane submonolayers was used
to prepare cyclopropyl and metallacyclobutane species on Cu(110) and
Cu(111) surfaces. The thermal chemistry of both species was monitored
over the 90-450 K range by taking high-resolution electron energy loss
(HREELS) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) measurements. Cy
clization of the metallacyclobutane species, to eliminate cyclopropane
, was found to occur at 205 K. The metallacyclobutane species was char
acterized by CH stretching losses at 2806 and 2839 cm(-1) for Cu(110)
and Cu(111), respectively. The cyclopropyl species was found to underg
o ring opening to yield a propene desorption product at 290 K. The obs
erved surface chemistry of both of these cyclic C-3 species is compare
d with data from the organometallic, catalysis, and surface science li
terature.